Automatic discharge valve



W. A. BRADLEY AUTOMATIC DISCHARGE VALVE Filed March 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I. maxi/z EZQADLEX ATTGRNEYKF.

March 24,1925. 1,530,592 w. A. BRADLEY I AUTOMATI C DI SCHARGE VALVE Filed March 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q j; Q9 Ji Eu M! i 1' 15) 2:1 I I I, i

INVENTORK I i F WILLIAM A. BRADLEK ATTORNEYS.

extension of I the; btto mmrbr Patented Mar. 24, 1925 v "UNITED ism PTETNT nannies; a

n. IBRADLEY,"OF smemeeisco, camlsoamh.

mn'roivmaic -zoisoneneis vALvE.

Application filed March 20, 1922. Serial as. 7 00,5 78.

.To all whom it may concern: Beitknown that I, 'l/ViinLiAM A. BRADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of 'San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Discharge Valves, of which the idll'owing is a specification;

Tins invention relates to valves, and particularly to an automatic discharge valve,

to be used on dewateririg and decanting lmav chines, thickener-set any similar nachlne in which particles in suspension are to be settled and removed;

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the coin struction and operation of valves of the character described, to provide a valve which is atoinatic'and sensitive in operation;

a valve which is adapted to be attached to the bottom of a tank used in conjiinction with a dewatering or like machine, and which will be operable independent o'fithe tank 'or the contents thereof,- a valve which consists of a stationary member and a movsaid sideelevation "being partially in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central vertical section of the valve taken atfight angles to s- Fig. 3 is an enlarged'detail sectional view showing the bearing in which the weighted lever is journalled;

Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of the lever. Referring to the drawings 1n detail, and

particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates a neshaped tank whieh be iised in connection ivitl1.:tli1ckeners, deWater-Jng machines, and the like, or, 1n fact, with any similar apparatus in which particles in suspension are to be settled ancl dlscharged.

Forming {bottom {for the tank A is a ringlshaped member B which is provided with aycntrfa'l opening 2, and foiiiiinj'g'l an is an annlilar sleeve on giiide members; Dis; I

posed below the sleeve -3 is a cone shaped cu or bowl '4, and extending downwali dly fi 'o'm the bottom inember 'B is statioi' 'ar rod 5, on the lower end of which is secured a valve member 6.

The fod'5 is secured to a cross arm 7 i an'd the-upper of the i od' is threaded so that it may "be vertically adjusted with ij'elation to the crossfarin 7 by means of nuts '8.

"The ripper em (if the cu or bowie ex tend-s into the'sleeve 3, as shown in Fig. l2,

and as such is guided thereby. Two flanges :01. ribs 99 are formed on the sides oi' 'th'e bow'l and"these extend between-slotted guide 'ineinbers T10*1:0 which are formed oh the lower endsof 'hradkelts 11; these brackets heind suitahly secured to) the bottom menbei' bygbolts or ethei means as indicated its ripper and lower ends and a free vertical ii'ioveiiiefitl isinsu-red, H a s The cup isprefetabIy cone shape, as

hdivn in Figs. lands, and its'ldwer end is flanges, as indicated at13,t0 receive a "valve seat "member 14 which is secured thereto by t hevengagefl by the valve iiiein'ber 6, as will hereinafter be described.

fineans of bolts 15. Tl1e valvei seat me'mv s provided" with a central discharge opening '16 and a valve 17 which is adapted e s w-or discharge of solids or; settled i suspended matter from the tank A takes" place betv'v'een the valve 6 and the semi? and thematerial discharged thronghthe ee'ntra l opening'lti ,ltheamoiint of material discs 4 with elatio to the stationary valve member 6. The-cup forms a portidn of the valve inasmuch as it i'aisesan'd lowers the seat :17 withrelation to the stationary memtaming depending iiponthe ee-men o' fthe" her "6 and free movement of the cup in a Y vertical direction is therefore necessary.

Such freevmovement is permitted by proidi'n'g the guides previously referred to, and -furthermoi-e, by prowidi'ng a flexible annular diaphragm such as indicated at 18.

The diaphrag in is rounded lass/shown in Fig. 2; its pper edgeheing seciired t0 the bottom section B a clamping plate 19, and its loweredge "being secured to the cu by means an interior clam ing ringQO. A; water-tight 'j'oint is thus formed between the the bottom sect-h nt and a free. vert cal movementfis aft thesam time permitted; no snug being necessary at any movement may take'place without 'interfering with the free. vertical movement of the Cu v H i Tn actual operation it will be understood that the tank A is filled with a: solution which carries solids in suspension; for in stance, the slime or fine ground material of a pebble 'mill or the like such as used in mining operations. This material is con-- tinuously delivered to the tank A. The solids gradually settle, while the'more or less clear solution is permitted to overflow. The continuous settling of the solids would, in time, completely fill the tank and it is therefore necessary to discharge the solids as rapidly as they accumulate. This is auto-- matically taken care of in the'present instance by providing the valve here illustrated. The solids enter the cup4 through the central opening 2 and as they accumulate inthe cup the weight gradually increases to such an extent-that the cup has a tendency to settle in a downward direction. Downward movement of the cup moves the valve seat 17 away from the stationary valve 6 and the solids, together with a portion of the solution, are thereby permitted to continuously or intermittently discharge.

For the purpose of regulating the opening of the valve or, in other words, the down ward movement of the cup, a counterbaL,

anced lever 22 is employed. This lever is pivotally mounted at the point indicated at 23 in a stationary bracket 24. The forward end of the lever is fork-shaped, as shown in Fig. 4, and each prong of the fork is provided with a bearing block 25 which is suitably secured thereto. The upper faces of thebearing blocks are countersunk with a i 7 gain 01- the like, as indicated a 26 in Fig. 2,

and the countersunkdepressions thus pro- I vided form seats for vertically disposed pins 7 such as shown at 27. The lower faces of the guide ribs 9 are similarly countersunk and thereby form seats for the. upper ends of the pins 27; the pins 27 being pointed at their opposite ends to present the smallest bearing surface possible and to reduce friction to a minimum. p

The bracket 24 is slotted, as indicated at 28, (see Figs. 1 and 3) and bearing blocks 29 are also here inserted. 'V-shaped grooves are formed crosswise of the bearing blocks and the bearing pin extending through the lever 22 and the slotted portions 28 is also V-shaped on the ends as shown at 30, thus forming a knife-edged bearing which reduces frictionand permits exceedingly sensitive action. The leve k Previously stated:

is counterweighed by a weight such as indicated at 32. This weight is adjustable along the lever andmay be secured whenever desired. The position ofthe weight is normally such that the cup will remain in a raised position and in engagement with the valve 6 when no solids are-entering thecup, but the moment the solids begin to enter 1 and accumulate a slight additional. weight will'be obtained just sufiicient to permit low ering of-the cup. The solids col ecting will thus continuously or intermittently discharge and the density of the discharge may be regulated by merely adjusting the position of the counterweight; actual experience having determined that it is possible to obtain a' discharge containing seventy per cent or more of solids. Y

While certain features of the presentinvention are more or less specifically illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within thescope of the appended claims. I similarly wish it understood that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecureby Letters Pat- 1 The combination with a settling tank container disposed below the opening and in vertical alignment therewith, a flexible diaphragm forming" water-tight connection between thecup and the tank, said cup having a discharge opening formed in its lower end, and a stationary valve within the cup with relation to which the cup is vertically movable, said valve normally forming a closure for the discharge opening in the cup. 2. The combination with a settling tank having acentrally disposed discharge opening formed in its lower end, of a cup shaped container disposed below the opening and in vertical alignment therewith, a flexible diaphragm forming a water-tight connection between the cup and the tank, said cup i no having a discharge opening formed in its lower end, a stationary valve within the cup.

with relation to which the cup is vertically movable, and means for normally holding the cup in a raised position and in engagement with the valve'sothat the valve will normally form a closure for the discharge opening in the cup.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a settling tank having a dis charge opening formedin its lower end, a

cup shaped container disposed below the opening and in vertical aligninent therewith,

an annular flexible diaphragm'forming a water-tight connection between the bottom of the tank and the cup, said cup having a discharge opening formed in its lower end, a stationary valve within the cup, said cup being vertically movable with relation to the valve, and a pivotally mounted lever engageable with the cup and normally maintaining it in a raised position and in engagement with the valve.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a settling tank having a discharge opening formed in its lower end, a cup shaped container disposed below the opening and in vertical alignment there'- with, an annular flexible diaphragm forming a water-tight connection between the bottom of the tank and the cup, said cup having a discharge opening formed'in its lower end, a stationary valve within the cup, said cup being Vertically movable with relation to the valve, apivotally mounted lever engageable with the cup and normally main taining it in a raised position and in engagement with the valve, and an adjustable weight on the opposite end of the lever.

5. The combination with a settling tank,

of a retaining ring forming a bottom memof said container extending into the opening in the retaining ring and being guided thereby, means for guiding the lower end of the cup, an annular flexible diaphragm secured at its upper end to the retaining ring and at its lower end to the cup, said dia phragm forming a Water-tight joint between the tank and the cup and permitting vertical movement of the cup, a stationary rod extending downwardly into the cup, a valve on the lower end of said rod, a pivotally mounted lever engageable with the cup and adapted to normally hold it in a raised position where the valve will form a closure for thedischarge opening in the cup, and an ad ustable weight on the opposite end of the lever. v

WILLIAM A. BRADLE 

